Your Diet As A Student And Vitamins

Have you ever wondered if you need to take vitamins? First, you need to see if your diet is well-rounded. Then see if you're experiencing any health problems. Or simply, ask your doctor if you need to take vitamins. Vitamins seem like a good thing, right? We all know our bodies need vitamins to function properly but did you know that vitamins in large concentrations can turn out to be harmful? For example, taking too much vitamin A can cause liver damage. Now which vitamins are really needed by our bodies?

Necessary Vitamins

1. Vitamin A (also known as retinol)

• This is needed for good vision, especially to see in the dark. One of the first signs of vitamin A deficiency is night blindness. It is also needed for healthy skin and good immune function.
• It's found in leafy green vegetables, orange fruits and vegetables, oily fish, liver, eggs, butter margarine, and full-fat milk.

2. Vitamin B1 (thiamin)

• This is needed to form ATP which is our body's source of energy. Signs of deficiency include fatigue, loss of appetite, sleep disturbances, poor memory, and weight loss.
• It's found in wholegrain foods, fish, and meat.

3. Vitamin B2 (riboflavin)

• The same function as vitamin B1 is needed to maintain the body's energy supply. Signs of deficiency include fatigue, swollen throat, blurred vision, and depression, as well as skin cracks, around the mouth.
• It's found in mushrooms, almonds, wholewheat flour, meat, eggs, milk, yogurt, and cheese.

4. Vitamin B3 (niacin)

• Same function as above. Signs of deficiency include the development of a condition known as pellagra, in which the skin, brain, and digestive system are affected.
• Found in legumes, peanuts, lean meat, fish, and chicken

5. Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine)

• Needed for the development of the brain, and nerves and to release energy. Signs of deficiency include skin and tongue inflammation, and depression.
• Found in vegetables, soybeans, fruits, nuts, wholegrain foods, lean meat, and fish.

6. Vitamin B12 (cobalamin)

• It's needed for the healthy growth and function of the nervous system, red blood cell formation, and DNA synthesis. Signs of deficiency include shortness of breath, headaches, fatigue, vision problems, weakness, and indigestion.
• Found in meat, fish, eggs, and breakfast cereals fortified with B12, milk, and dairy alternatives.

7. Vitamin C (ascorbic acid)

• Needed for making collagen in the body, helps fight infections, and absorbs iron from food. It is needed for the growth and repair of tissues in all parts of your body. Signs of deficiency are symptoms of scurvy which include slow healing of wounds, fatigue, bleeding gums, and muscle/joint aches.
• Found in citrus fruits, berries, mango, and kiwi. Also in capsicums, broccoli, and potatoes.
• When veggies are cooked, their vitamin C content is reduced since it is a water-soluble vitamin.

8. Vitamin D 

• Needed to absorb calcium so it is indirectly needed to keep bones healthy. Deficiency signs include muscle and bone pain and feelings of weakness.
• You can get vitamin D when sunlight falls directly on your skin, also found in oily fish, fish liver oils, egg yolks, butter, and margarine.

9. Vitamin E 

• Needed for healthy eyes, skin, and immunity. A weakened immune system, vision problems, and a loss of coordination and senses show deficiency.
• Found in sunflower and canola oils, seeds and nuts, eggs, wheat germ, and margarine high in unsaturated fats.

10. Vitamin K 

• Needed for blood clotting to occur so indirectly to prevent blood loss during injuries. Excessive bleeding and being easily bruised show a possibility of deficiency.
• Found in green leafy veggies, green beans, eggs, and cheese.

11. Folate (folic acid) (vitamin B9)

• Needed for cells to grow and develop, and in our bodies, new cells are being made all the time, so without this vitamin your body can't make new healthy cells. Also needed to make DNA. Signs of deficiency include pale skin, decreased appetite, extreme tiredness, and mouth sores. 
• Found in green leafy veggies and Brussels sprouts, legumes, liver, and wheat flour.

The Right Diet To Have

                                                                           

If your everyday meals look colorful like the meals above, then your diet may be well-rounded. You may already know about the food triangle but if you don't, it looks like this: 

Whole grains are what you should be consuming the most and vegetables and fruits the second most. Then a small portion of meats dairy, and oils should be used the least. And don't forget to hydrate yourself: water should take up the largest space in your diet. If you have a diet including every portion in the right amount, then you most probably don't need vitamins. Try to include one egg every day in your diet as eggs have many of the above-mentioned vitamins all in one product, like those 5 1 advertisement products. You don't have to have each portion in every meal of the day; the portions should be consumed within the whole day. Whether you skip vegetables for breakfast but have them for lunch, and have grains and fruit for breakfast but not for lunch, your whole day of meals should have every portion included in whatever way you would like it to be.

How to tell if you need vitamin supplements?

Even if you think you need supplements because your diet isn't balanced or because you're facing health issues, why not try to improve your diet first? Then you may not need to take supplements in the end if the improved diet helps get rid of your health problems. It's hard to decide all of this on your own so it's best to consult a doctor who can help you set up a balanced diet.  Some people have eating disorders or allergies which stop them from having a balanced diet so it makes sense for them to take supplements prescribed by their doctors. Or a vegetarian may need supplements as they don't have meat(sometimes also dairy) in their diet which contains necessary vitamins such as vitamin B12, which cannot be found elsewhere. 

If you have any of the deficiency symptoms listed above, consider getting checked by your doctor and if you need vitamins, they will prescribe them to you. The doctor will carry out some blood tests to indicate if you have any deficiencies or not.

Precautions to taking vitamins

Before you get vitamins, let the doctor know of your allergies and if you're taking any other medications from before. This is to prevent any reactions of vitamins with those medications as the outcome can be harmful. Furthermore, never take vitamins on an empty stomach; vitamins are better absorbed when they're taken with food.

Fat-soluble vitamins such as A, D, E, and K are best absorbed when taken with a meal containing fat(lipids).

Be careful to not overdose on vitamins. It can be very dangerous: going into a coma, liver failure, lung failure, and even nerve damage are some outcomes. 

I hope this encourages you to fix your diet and stop munching on fast food every 48 hours; fast food once a month doesn't put you at a loss. Cutting down on sweet things to once a week won't give you any loss either. It will help you in the long run. Don't forget to stay hydrated!